After the invasion of Sicily, Captain James led a platoon of paratroopers through a part of Piano Lupo, and were subsequently cut off by attacking Italians. They repelled multiple attacks by Italian forces throughout the night, and waited for reinforcements from the 1st Infantry Division to arrive.

Once Sgt. Hawkins's squad arrived after fending off an Italian attack a short distance away from James's camp, James ordered them to go through the nearby tunnels to destroy a column of tanks belonging to Hermann Goering's Armored Division. They succeeded destroying the tanks with the help of Navy firepower.